Out Of This World

I knew it was the day. I knew, because when I tried to pull away, her grip tightened around my scalp and her lips felt bothered as she held on for longer than usual. I gave her another minute or two before pulling away, the link between her fingers breaking behind my neck.

“That should be enough,” I said quietly, before gazing down at her wet brown eyes. “Just, relax.”

And I turned and left. I dropped off the gum tree and trudged across the wet lawn, then her wet driveway, then mine, then over my wet lawn and into my house where the warm smell of cookie dough filled my lungs in a tiresome sigh.

“Hey Ben, you alright?” Michelle smiled, her eyes bright but her tone genuinly concerned. I nodded and she gave me a pat on the back, “Cookies should be done in about ten minutes.”

I nodded again before pinching a scrap of dough and putting it in my mouth, “Save me some for tomorrow,” I said, filling my hands with water from the tap and taking a quick drink.

“Why? Where are you going?” Michelle asked. She turned away from the dishes and I saw her forehead creased with concern. Michelle had only been living with us for two months and I had already grown to understand why my dad had fallen in love with her. She had become the closest to a mother I’d ever had.

“Oh, party.” I said dismissively, though she wasn’t ready to be dismissed.

“Who’s party?”

“You know, dad is never this concerned,” I laughed, shaking the hair from my forehead.

“Who’s party, Ben?”

“Derek’s.” she raised her brows in question, “Alice’s new boyfriend…”

Michelle nodded. She would always ask these questions and let me go anyway. “Ok then, get home at a reasonable hour please…oh, and Ben-“ I stopped half way up the stairs, the pause in my footsteps signalling that I had her attention, “It’s Kim’s birthday next weekend isn’t it?”

I nodded, then, realising she couldn’t hear me, called out a confirmation.

“What kind of cake do you think she’ll like?”

“Mud, probably, or brownies. Just not ice cream cake,”

“Alright.” She said and I continued up the stairs to my den.

I pulled up on the front lawn of a large, blue, weatherboard house. Pulling up my hood, I stepped outside into the regular spring drizzle and trudged across the lawn, squeezing between the other cars. There was no music playing, just the chatter of a gazillion teenagers and the feedback of a guitar as the band finished setting up.

“Hey, Ben!” I turned to see Derek weaving his way toward me, Alice close behind. “Glad you could make it mate, where’s Kimber?”

“Erm, she couldn’t come. Hey Alice,” Alice stepped forward and gave me a hug.

“Hey, would you mind manning the minibar? Kieren was doing it but he passed out,” Derek laughed, jerking his thumb behind him.

“Uh, sure,”

“Thanks mate, drink as much as you want, just make sure no one runs off with the liquor, ok?”

I nodded and followed Alice to the minibar where she pointed out where everything was, directed me on how much to give everyone and told me where she’d be if anything ran short. I waited until her head -platinum blonde tonight- disappeared into the crowd before reaching down and grabbing a bottle of JD. I took a hefty gulp –or three- before turning to the pretty asian girl asking for a Smirnoff Ice.

Derek came by severel times throughout the night, asking if I wanted to swap with someone but I declined all his offers. I wanted to stay close to my good mate Jack Daniels. I clapped with everyone else as the band finished playing and someone shoved a mixed cd into a player. I took another swig straight from the bottle before attending a group of girls from another school; they looked to be a group of six, though that far into the night, and that deep into my bottle my arithmetic wasn’t all that good.

“What can I get you girls?” I smiled, standing up and leaning on the counter. One of the girls just stared at me, her eyes shining, her lips tweaked into a smirk. I watched her face advance closer to mine as she bent over the counter and giggled. I laughed too, though nothing was particularly funny.

“Got any Breezers left?”

I nodded, “What flavour?”

“Surprise us.” Her ebony hair brushed my nose as she turned to talk to one of her friends. I bent down and reached into the eski, pulling out a couple of Breezers and placing them on the bar. All except the girl who made the request took them, flashing me flirty smiles and heading back into the crowd. The remaining girl sat herself down on the opposing bar stool and rested her chin on her fist.

“Can I get you anything?” I smiled. She giggled again and looked to the heavens for the answer.

“Something…strong,” She laughed, holding my gaze. I took a plastic cup from the packet on the floor and began mixing a concoction.

“My name’s Keely,” she smiled, “I haven’t seen you around, what school do you go to?”

“Erm…” The answer shouldn’t have been so difficult, “Ashwood Secondary. You?”

“Avala Girl’s,” she looked at me, a seductive gleam in her eye. Avala Girl’s School. Ha,their reputations were infamous around here.

“Sweet.” I said, handing her the drink. She downed it all in one, squeezing her eyes shut as the alcohol burned her throat.

I watched her, slightly impressed. Her eyes flashed open and I continued staring into her deathly blues. She smirked and lifted my hands with hers, tugging me up from my stool. “Dance with me…”

I got up and began following her but stopped when I realised I was ment to be at the bar. “I uh, the bar-“ Keely grabbed a random guy and whispered something in his ear. He nodded before making his way to the bar and taking a seat behind the counter.

“It’s dealt with. Now…” She grabbed my hands and led me through the crowd, past the dance floor, past the kitchen, up the stairs and into the master bedroom.

The door slammed shut and the only light was that from under the door. I looked down to where the light fell on Keely’s feet as she kicked off her stiletos. My chin was lifted, hands buried themselves in my hair, my head was pulled down and my lips were caught by hers. Her lips were soft and experienced; a light cut split one side of her bottom lip, grazing mine with every movement. One of my hands went to support the small of her back while the other rested unconsciously on the smooth bare skin of her hip. Her hands released my hair for a second to pull off her shirt and I peeked open my eyes to view her slender figure. She tugged my own shirt up over my head and her hands laced themselves back in my hair as she stumbled backwards, pulling me along with her. Her legs hit the bed, she collapsed on her back and I was jerked down on top of her. I placed one hand next to her head and the other continued to rest on the protruding hip bone on her side. Our lips parted as she reached down to pull off her trousers, her legs flailing about to escape the tight denim. Then we were re-attached, and my hand began snaking it’s way up the soft flesh of her stomach, over the ridges of her ribs and up, up to the lace of her bra.

Then suddenly, for some unknown, twisted reason, Kim’s face flashed into my mind. I flinched and looked down at my hesitant fingers. I tried desperately to shake the thoughts from my head. The thoughts of Hayden’s rough lips against her’s, his big caloused hand resting unconsciously on the smooth bare skin of her hip, snaking it’s way up the soft flesh of her stomach, over the ridges of her ribs and up, up to the lace of her bra…

I jumped and renched my lips from Keely’s. She lay there in her underwear below me, gazing up at me beneath a furrowed brow. I stood and looked around, my body still tingling. With every second that past I could feel her grow more anxious; she was getting offended. I tried to explain, but my lips were so cold it was as if they’d just left Kim’s. I ran a hand through my hair and looked at Keely apologetically.

“I…I can’t.” I mummbled before pulling on my shirt and stumbling out the door.

I pushed through the crowds of people that had suddenly come to feel unbearably chlostraphobic. Reaching the bar, I grabbed a small bottle of Tequila -ignoring the protests of the guy in charge of it- and sauntered outside into the cool spring night. I took a deep breath, then a nice long swig. Breath, swig, breath, swig: that was the agenda until three AM when I passed out and forgot all about how Hayden was stealing my Kimberley's purity.